A good vantage point. And a GREAT vantage point.

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Geo: 39.3759, -104.86

So, at some point in my Googling/searching/online meandering, I came across a mention of grandstand seats for the final stage's arrival in Paris (you know, on the Champs Elysee). And that got us to thinking....Seeing as we're going to be in Paris (planning to watch the final arrival), and understanding that this year's finale is kindof a Big Hairy Deal, maybe we should spring for grandstand tickets.
It's not that we're opposed to getting there early and waiting literally all day for a good spot. But if this was just a race finale, and then everyone goes home, that'd be one thing. But this is the centenary race, and as such, the finale will be full of previous champions, bigwigs, celebrities, etc etc etc. So we'd kinda like to make sure we see it, and not the back of some freakishly tall person's shoulders.

Where was I?

Oh, yes. Googling.

I started looking around for "Paris Tour de France grandstand tickets" and the like. I found at least half a dozen companies that offer grandstand tickets (as well as several more that could get you in the grandstands, but only as part of a multi-day (or week) cycling vacation.

It turns out that there are many areas in the grandstands, all with very helpful names like "Grand Palais", "Clemenceau", "Rive Droit" and so on. Now, if you've been there before, and have an idea of the scale of things, those might be helpful. But I haven't, and I don't, so they aren't.

After looking at the maps on all these companies' sites (all some variation of the officially-issued map from one year or another), I'd decided on a couple of areas, and called Custom Getaways to get just a little more clarification. I made a decision, and started to fill out the booking form to send back.

On the back of the form, I noticed some other single-day viewing experiences listed. What's this? Hadn't seen those on the site before (perhaps because I was so focused on the Paris grandstands). Hold on, go back.....that one.......Alpe d'Huez. Yeah, that legendary mountain climb that they're doing twice in one day, this year. The one that we'd decided we were going to avoid entirely because the crowds are so ridiculous, and you'd have to camp out for 2 or 3 days to get a spot on one of the switchbacks, where the crowds ooze so far into the road that the riders can barely get by single-file.Uh-huh. Finish line access, you say? Tell me more.....

Oh, the VIP access is sold out? Bummer. But you have a non-VIP access, though you're afraid it would be in the technical area, with TVs, cables, producers, world-famous commentators...? Well, okay, if it would make you feel better, we'll take those last 2 spots.

Did you catch that?

Lemme say that again:

We're going to be watching the finish of the Alpe d'Huez, from the finish line, while getting to see some of the goings-on of the TV production that we'd otherwise be watching from our couch at home.

Over. The. Moon.

Oh, yes, we also got some of the less expensive grandstand tickets for Paris.

But I can hardly wait for July 18 to arrive. Giddier than a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve, I tell ya.

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